1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an input device, data processing device, data processing method and game device for conducting a simulation wherein a player moves virtually in a virtual three-dimensional space, by means of the player standing on a board, such as skis, a snowboard, skateboard, or the like, and operating this board via his or her feet. In particular, it relates to a device and method suitable for simulations wherein the player travels along a course containing a difference in height by means of the board.
2. Description of the Related Art
A game device generally comprises a game machine equipped with an internal computer for executing predetermined game programs, an operating device for supplying the computer with operating signals indicating the movement of characters (objects) represented in the game, a display for displaying images representing the development of the game as the computer execute the game program, and a sound device for generating sounds accompanying this development of the game.
On area of such game devices which is known in the prior art relates to game devices for playing skiing games, or the like, wherein the player stands on boards which represent skis, or the like. Examples thereof include the xe2x80x9cgame devicesxe2x80x9d disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-280936, and the xe2x80x9csimulator operation input devicexe2x80x9d disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-742.
Of these, the game device disclosed in the former patent is a game device which is used for skiing, snowboarding or skateboarding games, and essentially, it comprises input means for inputting turning operations simulating the turning actions of the player standing on the board, calculating means for calculating the state of travel of the player""s character in a virtual game space on the basis of these turning operations and a prescribed program, and a display for displaying game images according to this state of travel, wherein the calculating means comprises means for judging whether or not a turning operation is a skating action, and means for accelerating the player""s character on the basis of this judgement result and the aforementioned state of travel. Furthermore, this conventional device also allows the player to select the course. The selected course is a single winding route containing a height difference, and the player starts from a departure position and ends at a finish position.
Futhermore, the xe2x80x9csimulator operation input devicexe2x80x9d disclosed in the latter patent is an operation input device for a movement simulator whereby the direction of virtual travel is controlled in a leftward or rightward direction by causing an oscillating platform to oscillate leftwards or rightwards in conjunction with a virtual travelling image of a virtual travelling object. The oscillating platform is caused to return to its central position by means of first and second elastic means, and the device is capable of absorbing impacts applied when the movement of the oscillating platform is restricted. The oscillating platform can be made to swing (oscillate) to left and right by means of a player standing on the platform with both feet and moving his or her body weight. The centre of rotation of this swinging movement is set at a prescribed position front of, and apart from, the oscillating platform.
With the progress of image processing technology in recent years, it has been sought to provide ever clearer and more realistic images in game devices, whether they are for domestic or commercial use, and game contents of increasing richness and variety have been demanded. This situation applies equally to skiing or skateboarding games, etc. provided by the conventional devices described above. Specifically, from the aforementioned viewpoint, the games played on conventional devices diminish the player""s interest for the following reasons.
First, there is the problem with conventional devices, that the swinging sensation lacks realism. In a swinging action using a real skateboard or skis, in many cases, the rotation (swing) is centered about the person""s foot position. In other words, leaving aside jumps to the left or right, since the swinging action is caused by movement of the person""s body weight, in many cases, the center of rotation of this action occurs at the person""s feet (the boot region which transfers the movement of body weight). In contrast, in a conventional device, the swinging action to the left and right which determines the direction of travel is conducted about an axis of rotation positioned in front of the swinging platform (board). The swinging action therefore includes a large amount of circumferential movement component, and consequently, this swinging action feels strange and lacks realism compared to using real skis or a real skateboard.
Secondly, in a conventional device, the course used when the game player is moving through a virtual three-dimensional space involves the player simply moving (by skiing, for example,) from a start position to a finish position. However, if the player wishes to continue the game once he or she has reached the finish, then there is no alternative but to play the game again from the start. Therefore, the game lacks continuity, and if someone plays the game as many times as they want for a long period of time, then the player will often lose interest in the game and find, for instance, that the game operation becomes laborious and complicated. However, if a single course is made sufficiently long, problems such as requirement of a large amount of data and increased memory capacity will arise.
The present invention was devised in view of the aforementioned situation relating to the prior art, a first object thereof being to make the swing of a board in a game which is played by a person standing on a board, such as skis, a skateboard, or the like, as close as possible to the state of a swinging action in real life, thereby improving realism and increasing the attraction of the game.
It is a second object of the present invention to enable a game to be played, wherein the player travels along a course continuously for a long period of time, without the game operation becoming complicated, or the like.
It is a third object of the present invention to make the swing of a board in a game which is played by a person standing on a board, such as skis, a skateboard, or the like, as close as possible to the state of a swinging action in real life, thereby improving realism and increasing the attraction of the game, whilst at the same time enabling a game to be played wherein the player travels along a course continuously for a long period of time, without the game operation becoming complicated, or the like.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, the input device relating to the present invention comprises a platform on which a player stands with both feet, and a supporting mechanism which supports this platform such that it can oscillate freely, and the input device supplies oscillatory information resulting from the player causing the platform to oscillate to a game machine, and in the supporting mechanism, the central axis of the oscillatory movement is positioned on the lower portion of, or below, the platform.
For example, the supporting mechanism is composed such that it supports the platform swingably in a horizontal plane at the least, and the central axis of the oscillatory movement is the central axis of rotation of the swing, and the oscillatory information is swing information. In this case, preferably, the game machine is provided with means for simulating a state where a character representing the player moves through a virtual three-dimensional space based on the swing information.
Futhermore, for example, the oscillation may comprise swing in the horizontal plane of the platform, roll in the lateral direction of the platform, and pitch in the longitudinal direction of the platform, and the supporting mechanism may comprise a swing mechanism which supports the platform such that it can swing, a roll mechanism which supports the platform such that it can roll, and a pitch mechanism which supports the platform such that it can pitch. In this case, a structure is used wherein the swing mechanism supports the roll mechanism from below, this roll mechanism supports the pitch mechanism from below, and this pitch mechanism supports the platform. The swing mechanism, the roll mechanism and the pitch mechanism may also be provided, respectively, with force applying means which apply force to the platform to return it to predetermined central positions in the swing, roll or pitch movements.
The platform may be a board for a skateboarding game, for example.
Futhermore, in an input device for supplying operational information to a game machine simulating a state where a player moves through a virtual three-dimensional space, the input device relating to the present invention comprises a platform on which the player stands with both feet, a supporting mechanism for supporting this platform such that it can oscillate, and sensors for detecting pitch information, when the platform is pitched in a forward or backward direction by means of the player moving his or her body weight on the platform, and supplying this information to the game machine. It may also comprise sensors for detecting and supplying to the game machine oscillation angle information relating at least one oscillatory movement from: oscillation causing the platform to roll in a lateral direction, and/or oscillation causing the platform to swing in its horizontal plane, induced by the player moving his or her body weight on the platform.
Moreover, in a data processing device for processing data for a simulation, wherein a character moves along a course set in a virtual three-dimensional space leading from a high departure point to a low arrival point, the data processing device relating to the present invention comprises: judging means for judging whether or not the character has reached the arrival point; and co-ordinate substituting means for substituting the co-ordinates for the character in the virtual three-dimensional space with the positional co-ordinates of the departure point, when the judging means judges that the character has reached the arrival point.
Desirably, the course comprises a winding (meandering) or spiral section in at least a portion thereof. Furthermore, desirably, movement control means are provided for controlling the movement of the character by considering the acceleration due to gravity depending on the gradient of the course, and the operational information from the player relating to the movement of the character.
In a data processing method for processing data for a simulation, wherein a character moves along a course set in a virtual three-dimensional space leading from a high departure point to a low arrival point, the data processing method relating to the present invention comprises the steps of: judging whether or not the character has reached the arrival point; and substituting the co-ordinates for the character in the virtual three-dimensional space with the co-ordinates of the departure point, when the judging means judges that the character has reached the arrival point.
The medium according to the present invention stores the program which have a computer execute the data processing method.
A medium includes, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, photomagnetic disk, CD-ROM, DVD, ROM cartridge, RAM memory cartridge with battery back-up, flash memory cartridge, fixed RAM cartridge, etc. Further, it includes telecommunication mediums such telephone circuits, etc., which are wire communication mediums, and microwave circuits, etc., which are radio communication mediums. The internet is also included in the telecommunication medium stated herein. A medium has information (mainly digital data or programs) stored therein by some physical means, and is capable of implementing the prescribed functions in a processing device such as a computer, exclusive processor, etc. That is, any means which downloads the program onto a computer and executes the prescribed functions is fine.
Moreover, a game device relating to the present invention, comprises a game machine for conducting a simulation wherein a character representing a player moves through a virtual three-dimensional space, and an input device for supplying operational information required by this game machine for calculating the movement of the character. The input device comprises: a platform on which the player stands with both feet; a supporting mechanism for supporting this platform such that it can oscillate; and pitch movement sensors for detecting pitch movement information when the player causes the platform to pitch by moving his or her body weight on the platform. The game machine comprises movement control means for controlling the movement of the character in the virtual three-dimensional space on the basis of the pitch movement information detected by the pitch sensors.
The input device may, for example, be provided with at least one of: a swing movement sensor for detecting swing movement information when the player causes the platform to swing by moving his or her body weight on the platform; and a roll movement sensor for detecting roll movement information when the player causes the platform to roll by moving his or her body weight on the platform. The game machine may be provided with further movement control means for controlling the movement of the character in the virtual three-dimensional space on the basis of movement information detected by at least one of the swing movement sensor and the roll movement sensor. In this case, in the supporting mechanism, the central axis of the oscillatory movement is desirably positioned on the lower portion of, or below, the platform. Furthermore, the supporting mechanism may comprise a swing mechanism for supporting the platform swingably in a horizontal plane, and this swing mechanism may be composed such that the central axis of rotation of the swing is positioned below the platform. In an even more desirable mode, the platform is a board for a skateboarding game.